Recommend a new pair of all-purpose cans/IEM

black0ut

Gawd
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Aug 5, 2008
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I currently have some crappy JVC marshmallows... looking to upgrade just a bit.

40% listen to jazz/classical
30% listen to rock/pop/hip pop
25% gaming
5% movies

In terms of time spent listening in front of computer vs out and about, it's about 75%/25% computer/outside. Outside is of course, noisy, but in front of the computer it's quiet.

Budget is ~$100, can be flexible.

In terms of ear sensitivity, I have many years of classical/jazz instrument training, so I figure I'm more sensitive than most. Prefer less bass, clearer highs.

From brief perusal of this forum, I see the AD700s being recommended like crazy for gaming, as well as Sennheiser 555s. Now I know comparing open air cans to IEMs is apples to oranges, but as you all probably know, triplefi 10s were only $100 on amazon recently, and on headfi/ebay you can pick it up for $125.

I only want to buy one new audio upgrade (for now), so what do you recommend?
1) AD700s
2) TF10s
3) Sennheiser
4) something else
 
Unless you are in a quiet environment all of the time, for the best listening experience I'd recommend getting IEMs or closed headphones. And actually, for gaming, where hearing your surrounding is essential, I'd almost insist on using a closed pair of headphones. As for my recommendation...

--If you can get a pair of UE Triple.Fi 10's on the cheap, go for it. I got in on the amazon deal, but even when people resell their pairs, it's still gonna be a steal.
--Sennheiser HD280 is a really good closed can for the price. I have been really happy with mine. Sound great and block out a lot of sound.
 
And actually, for gaming, where hearing your surrounding is essential, I'd almost insist on using a closed pair of headphones. As for my recommendation...

If hearing your surroundings are essential for gaming ideally headphones that have a nice large sound stage according to your logic should be better for gaming if I'm following correctly so far. Yet you recommend a closed set of headphones which is going against your initial logic of requiring a nice large sound stage.

@OP: Get the AD700's I own the 900's and I guarantee you won't be disappointed, your requirement for less bass and clearer highs is exactly why you should be getting the 700's.
 
If hearing your surroundings are essential for gaming ideally headphones that have a nice large sound stage according to your logic should be better for gaming if I'm following correctly so far. Yet you recommend a closed set of headphones which is going against your initial logic of requiring a nice large sound stage.

@OP: Get the AD700's I own the 900's and I guarantee you won't be disappointed, your requirement for less bass and clearer highs is exactly why you should be getting the 700's.

Agreed, the AD700's are the way to go here. I pimp them out every time someone posts about them. I've had the HD280's before and they were just too tight on my head; incredible isolation but would get hot/sweaty/painful after awhile.
 
I realize the AD700s are nice phones, but gaming is third on my priority list, and aren't the TF10s supposedly amazing? I mean they have a list price of $400 and everything (not that that means anything).

Can someone say more about TF10s vs AD700s?
 
Can't comment on the TF, but the AD700 are just amazing (especially the ultra wide soundstage).


It's slightly on the brighter side, but that can be solved easily via the EQ

PS: IMO, there's nothing harder than choosing the right headphone (figuratively speaking of cause).

1. It's very difficult to describe the different aspects of sound as every individual interpret the meaning differently.

2. The quality of sound itself is subjective

3. Source/EQ

4. Environment

5. Personal Preference and so on...

The best thing to do (IMO) is to pick all the headphones that suites your need based on reviews, budget and user opinions and try them all.


PPS: As you can see from this thread, I still haven't manage to find a in-ear for my PMP.
 
BTW, soundstage and bass extremely impotent (especially) if you happen to suffer from claustrophobia (or any from of claustrophobia).

I personally can't tolerate headphones with closed sound-stage, extreme highs and dominant bass for prolonged periods.


So it's very important to find a headphone that you're absolutely comfortable with.
 
I own the AD700's also, and i can say that soundstage is amazing with these. But everyone should know that the bass on the AD700's are less then what the "average joe" might consider adequate.

Anywho, since 40% of the music you listen to doesn't require too much bass, i think you will be happy with the AD700's.

Btw, imo they are SUPER comfy. I can where em' on my head for hours on end.
 
sony mdr-7506, durable as hell and capable of clean accurate sound at low volume due to being closed and being easy to drive 64ohm so the play plenty loud without a headphone amp.

I use mine about 8-9 hours a day and have done so for about 7 years and they still sound great only this year have I needed to replace the earpads. I have some shure E2c IEM and prior to the sonys I had a pair of sennheiser hd490s that met a early end from some sort of defect with the driver but the sonys have held up superbly and the shures are sitting in a draw unused becasue they hurt t owear for more than a few hours and the cord is frayed now too.
 
I just got the AD700 saturday they sound much better after a couple days and the coils start to settle. The bass is there its very tight and punchy not boomy and shake your head or rattle the headphones type of bass. To me they sound very acurate. the sound stage is like strapping 7.1 surround sound speakers to your head. Its amazing the sound stage the accuracy is like studio monitors its amazing. I do have them running off the Auzentech forte sound card which has a built in headphone amp this might make a slight difference. But i love them. They are open cans so they leak sound but not that bad. they are the most comfortable headphones ive owned. Iam coming from a pair of sennehieser 497hds
 
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